The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-12
MAKING AN EARLY. START
The Municipal Convention of the New
Union Labor Party Last Night.
Walter W. Davy Nominated for Mayor and
John F. White for City Clerk-Proposed
Refor ms in Municipal Government.

The Henry George organic alton, which was
known as & he United Labor party has led to
confusion Of terms in designating the party
formed at Cincinnati. The latter was named
Union Lab or. and its platform is the one followed
by the 10 cal organization, the convention of
which to n. ,minate city officers occurred in the
Criminal c ourt room. Each of the twenty-five
wards sent five delegates, and aside from these
there we 20 $50 spectators who occupied
the gale ries. In addition, there were
fifty or sew enty five supporters Of the party with
In the bar in front and at the sides of the
chairman's desk. It was an assemblage of
workingme u. and il any in the crowd had no
warrant to- that title they were in the back
ground. as all the delegates who had anything
TO say appe, lred as if their work had just been
laid aside t o nominate, in accordance with their
wishes. 7 he delegates were slow in coming
together, nd the leaders did not show that
promptness observable in other conventions to
hurry through prearranged plans. 1t was the
disposition to give everybody a chance. and
when Thomas Gruelle, chairman of the
partys committee of one hundred, called the
convention to order there would have been no
delay had n ct the appearance of Sim Coy's ma
nipulations in some Of the Southern wards in
terfered. Prominent among the spectators dur
ing the latter part of the proceedings was w. F.
A. Bernhanier. but before be came in, Mr.
Gruelle got word that persons there for the pur.
pose of throwing the convention into confusion,
were to be found among the delegates. This
danger was noticed particularly down where the
Twenty-ffth ward representatives sat. The
chairman requested all who were not delegates
to leave that part of the room reserved for
the men who were there as official representa-
tives of their party. AS no one moved Mr..
Gruelle became peremptory in his demand. II
know there are men among the delegates" he
said, "who come from one Of the old parties
Their purpose is to create division. That is
one thing we do not want. for it is our hope that
the proceedings will be harmonious. request
these men who have no right to the floor of the
convention to leave at once" Nobody was seen
to 60 out, yet close watch was kept upon the
part of the hall where trouble would be apt to
arise
In the meantime committees on credentials
and permanent organization were appointed. the
former being made mp OF w. E. Daniels of the
First Samuel johnson, OF the Second; L. P.
Custer, of the Fifth; Jacob Stall, of the
Seventh. and John Winter. of the Tenth, while
the latter consisted Of one from each ward, j. N
Taylor, G. Purcell. Edward Aldrich, Samuel
Douglass, John Weaver, Adam Eckert. William
Werner. John Genlen. Phil Rappaport, Robert
Hrof William Nicholas, Patrick Carroll, Ed l.
Pope, John Evans John White. Thomas Nc
Gently. William Wilhorm, John w. Duncanson,
John F. White, Ambrose Hodges William John
son, Michael Crosby and John Alberts.
There was a contest in the Twenty third ward
that gave the committee some trouble. One
delegation was led by Jacob Bull and the other
by John Murphy. The committee of one hun
dred had given each ward organizer the author
ity to call q meeting to select delegates and also
passed = resolution that the credentials should
be in the hands of the committee by noon yes
terday. Murphy was the organizer of the
Twenty-third ward. but failed to at
tend the meeting to appoint delegates
sickness IN his family the
cause of his absence and stating
that he was ignorant OF the resolution recurring
the candidates to be on hand by yesterday noon.
presented the credentials of the delegation last
night The Bull delegates claimed the right to
the seats. and the committee on credentials re-
ferred the matter back to the convention. Chair
man Gruelle said the committee ought to have
settled the question. and a member of the Muir
ply delegation said he wanted the matter de-
cded at once. Michael Crosby moved that the
contesting delegations retire and come to some
conclusion among themselves. Philip Rappaport
raised point Of order that as the committee
of ono hundred had said the credentials must be
Ia at noon, the Bull delegates ought to have the
right to represent the Twenty third ward in the
convention. Chairman Gruelle was about to de-
aide the point well taken when Murphy, in his
behalf, explained how he Mapped to come in late
with his papers. In doing this he was inclined
TO be personal in accusing John F. White of say
ing that he Murphy was trying to have Demo
Gratis sit as delegates. Mr.. Murphy said he had
not voted the Democratic ticket for ten years.
that all his interests were with the Union Labor
party. 1t was charged by another delegate that
the Bull party was there in the interest of
Democrats. The chairman decided the Kappa
port point of order we'll taken, when Mr.
Crosby objected with considerable warmth
He wanted to know what had become of his mo-
tion, and said he would appeal from the decis-
ion of the chair. "Oh, sit down." retorted a del
egate. Not for you, sir" shouted Crosby. MIR.
Gruelle remarked that IN order to avoid confu-
sion he would call the wards on the question of
appeal, but the First ward had hardly an
nounced its vote of five to one in favor Of the
Chair, before Mr.. Crosby said in the interest of
harmony hs would withdraw his appeal. The
Bull delegation was then seated.
Another little incident that did not reach the
convention occurred in delegate bringing to
Mr.. Gruelle note from Michael F. Shields the
present Democratic city clerk, who was DESTROYS
of getting the nomination of the Union Labor
party for that Office. The note stated that Mr..
Shields had a thorough sympathy with the cause
of labor and that he Endorsed the principles Of
the new party. However if his friends in the
Democratic convention put him in nomination
he could not help it Mr.. Gruele told the bear
of the note that any one nominated
by the Union Labor convention must come
forward and sign a pledge to no longer affiliate
with the old parties But can't you read the
note now to the convention2" asked the delegate
"Oh. no. If Mr.. Shields's name is placed in
nomination, there will be time enough for you
to read the note.n
This the delegate was not inclined to do, and
his requests for the chairman TO read the note
then were only disturbed by the committees
which were ready to report That perma-
nent organization announced A. P. Wilson as
chairman and Frank White secretary. Mr.
Wilson made brief speech, when, following
the order Of business, also reported by the COM
mittee, the platform read by l.. P. Custer.
who with others, had been appointed to draft
it. 1t was in these words:
TIE Union Labor party is party of emancipation
ard restoration of natural rights of which labor has
been deprived by industrial system which treats
human labor force merchandise regardless of
human feelings and necessities 1t has for its ulti-
mate object the abolition of a system under which
the workingman receives barely enough to exist while
the larger part OF the results of his labor is accuma-
lated In the hands or few; of a system which be-
yond measure enriches few and beyond measure
impoverishes the mass of the people; system which
creates classes, and will, in course of time leave
only two classes in existencethe very rich and the
very Door; system which is destructive
of political liberty and free form of government be-
cause the very poor would necessarily become the
slaves of the very rich 1t has for its ultimate object
the replacement of this system by one under which
labor shall be independent Of capital and under which